If you're one of the 120 million
Americans who has gained weight over the years,
chances are you've tried at least one "diet."
You may have even shed some of the weight, but
if you are like most people, you have also
regained it.

We all
want to believe there is some magic formula or
trick to losing weight. Unfortunately, the only
way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories
than what your body uses. Weight gain happens
when we eat extra calories from any source:
protein, fat, or carbohydrate. If you eat too
much food for the amount of activity that you
do, your body stores the extra calories from
the food as body fat. To lose weight, you can
cut down on calories, increase your activity
level - or better yet, do both. To keep the
weight from coming back, balance the calories
you eat with your activity level.

Research shows that losing just 5 -10%
of your starting body weight - and, most
importantly, keeping it off - can help you reap
substantial health benefits by preventing or
controlling diseases such as diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure, cancer and many
others.

Set realistic goals.
If you have a lot of weight to lose, focus on
losing it in 5 pound blocks. Small goals are
more doable and can mentally help you keep
going when the going gets
tough.

Aim for a gradual - but steady -
loss of Â½ to 2 pounds per week.
The weight didn't arrive
overnight so try not to expect to lose it
quickly either.

Make small changes that become
lasting habits. A habit is something
you just do without thinking about it- like
brushing your teeth. Simple changes in your
diet (eating half a sandwich instead of a
whole) and activity level (taking the stairs
instead of the elevator) need to become
routine.

Slow and steady wins the
race.Trimming a mere 250 calories a day from
what you usually eat will result in a loss of
about Â½ pound a week. Add an hour of walking
each day, and you'll lose another Â½ pound
each week for a total of one pound. After 6
months, you may lose up to 25 pounds.

Get
Moving. Shoot for at least 30
minutes of moderate intensity exercise each
day. All activity counts: cleaning the house,
taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or
parking further from your destination. You
don't even have to do it all at once: you can
take a 15-minute walk at lunch, and another one
after dinner. Smaller activity sessions have
the same effect as longer ones, from a weight
management
standpoint.

Keep a record.
Keep a journal and write down everything you
eat and activities that you do before deciding
to make any changes. That way, you will know
your patterns and can decide on what changes
will work for you. Check out the chart below
for some sample suggestions on how to
painlessly cut
calories.

New research shows that boosting
protein while reducing calories may help
promote weight loss. Scientists are
investigating a number of protein's potential
roles in the weight loss process, including
increasing satiety and helping to maintain lean
muscle mass while maximizing fat
loss.

One recent study demonstrated the
promising power of protein. People following
lower carbohydrate/higher protein diets lost
more weight than those on a low fat/low
cholesterol/low calorie diet over a 6 month
period, although differences in weight loss
after one year were similar for both diets.
Improvements in some risk factors for coronary
heart disease were seen in the low
carbohydrate/higher protein diet group,
including greater decreases in triglycerides
and greater increases in HDL-cholesterol, also
referred to as good cholesterol, levels. More
research is needed to determine the exact
mechanisms by which protein may act in
promoting weight loss and weight
maintenance.

For more information on how different
diets may affect weight loss, view the chart
below.

There is a growing body of research on
these types of diets, showing both greater
weight loss and improved serum lipid levels
(lower triglycerides, higher HDL-cholesterol).

Protein can increase feeling of
fullness and satiety, so people eat
less.

"Favorite" foods such as beef, cream,
butter, etc., often limited on other weight
loss diets are allowed without
restriction.

Although the most popular
type of diet today, there is some concern
regarding the potentially high intake of
saturated fat and cholesterol and their effect
on risk of heart disease. Many plans also
suggest severe restriction or elimination of
some vegetables and fruits, at least at the
beginning of the diet, which can cause vitamin
and mineral deficiencies. There is also some
concern that high protein intakes can put a
strain on kidneys. Long-term adherence can be
an issue.

Short-term weight loss is due to
greater loss of body water than body fat
(although if the diet is maintained, it results
in loss of body fat).

Although low carbohydrate/high protein
diets suggest it is the food choices that
promote weight loss, people lose weight because
these diets are lower in calories due to
restrictions on some
foods.

Diet

Pros

Cons

Moderate fat
(20-30%), balanced nutrient reduction, high in
carbohydrate and moderate in
protein

Based on sound, scientific principles,
these types of diets have been studied
extensively. Diets are nutritionally adequate,
advocating a wide variety of foods in
moderation and within the context of a lower
calorie diet, typically calculated to provide a
deficit of 500-1000 calories per day, which
encourages adherence. An increase in physical
activity level is encouraged. Weight loss is
slow (1-2 pounds per week) but steady. Diets
can help improve heart health, partially due to
weight loss and partially due to food
choices.

People may be discouraged
by slower weight loss than sometimes seen with
other diets, at least in the short
term.

Diet

Pros

Cons

Low fat (11-19%) and
very low fat (<10%), very high carbohydrate,
moderate protein

High fat diets are associated with
obesity, possibly certain cancers and with
heart disease. This plan encourages a
vegetarian-type diet, based on foods naturally
low in fats like fruits and vegetables, which
provides fewer calories and less fat
(particularly saturated fat) which can help
people lose weight and improve heart
health.

There are many packaged
foods on the market that are low in fat, but
high in sugar and calories - such as cookies,
cakes, ice cream, etc. Some people take the low
fat diet as license to eat these types of foods
in unlimited quantities, not realizing that
although the foods may be low fat, they are not
low calorie.

Very low fat diets are also difficult
for many people to follow over the long-term.

The
National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is an
ongoing database of people who have maintained
a weight loss of 30 or more pounds for at least
one year. Here are a few secrets that
successful "losers" use to maintain their
losses:

Nearly every participant used a
combination of diet and exercise to lose weight
and most stay active to keep the weight off.
Most successful "losers" have a very high level
of regular, daily physical activity (one hour
per day) compared to the general population.
Most report that walking is their exercise of
choice.

All of the participants
eat a low fat diet. The average fat intake of
NWCR members is only 24% of total calories,
compared to 33% of most Americans. NWCR
participants also consume just 1400 calories
per day, far below that of the general
population.

To stay within their
preferred weight range, they self-monitor by
keeping track of what they eat and weighing
regularly. Also, registry members have a game
plan in place for getting back on track if the
scale is tipping in the wrong direction. Some
might increase their level of exercise
temporarily; others may cut back on snacks or
portion sizes. The methods they choose vary but
all have a set plan of
action.

However you decide to trim calories, the
important thing is to focus on changes that you
can easily fit into your lifestyle. That way,
you'll be more likely to stick with them until
they become routine. Similarly, find activities
you enjoy and make time in your schedule to do
them. With a little planning, small changes in
your eating and activity level can quickly add
up to big changes on the scale.